She's not my soulmate
by Margaret Helstone
Summary: "He shouldn't have been surprised. He should have seen that coming – no, scratch that. He had seen that coming. Ever since he and Astrid had met, they knew it wasn't meant to be anything more than the greatest friendship the human kind had ever seen. It didn't diminish his pain a bit." Hiccstrid, soulmate AU.
1. Chapter 1

"It can't be him. It can't!"

Astrid Hofferson was standing in the centre of the room, shaking with rage and disbelief. Her muscles were tense, her fists were clenched.

For the first time in her life, she felt absolutely helpless.

"Astrid, you're being unreasonable." Hiccup approached her, doing his best to calm her down, trying to talk some sense into her. He had been doing that for the last ten minutes, but apparently, he was failing miserably.

"It's not about reason, Hiccup!" she cried out, finally raising her sight at him. "It just doesn't feel right! And it _must_ feel right!"

"You know that's not true -"

"He's supposed to be my soulmate, for fuck's sake, of course it must!"

Hiccup gritted his teeth as he listened to her hopeless calls, and wondered for the millionth time that day what on earth should he do in his position. How could he tell Astrid to calm down, while his own blood was boiling as if it was 200 degrees hot? Still, he knew he couldn't agree with her, not in this case.

Not in this life.

"Astrid, please," he tried again, taking her trembling hands into his own. She was surprised, no doubt, but she didn't protest. "It doesn't always feel right at first, but there are no mistakes. As long as you can recognize your soulmate, you may be sure it will work out in the end. Even if it's hard at first, it always works out in the end. Think of your parents."

"My parents hated each other," she admitted with a weak smile, but then shook her head.

"That's my point. They did once, and now they are one of the greatest couples I've ever seen in my life."

"But this isn't because they're _soulmates_!" she shouted again, almost snatching her hands away, only Hiccup's grip on them was too tight to allow it. "It was because they worked hard on it, bringing forgiveness and goodwill to their relationship, and because they learned to care about one another."

"Exactly. And you'll learn to do the same."

Astrid looked him in the eyes, meeting his steady, certain gaze; he was still squeezing her fingers in that gentle manner she adored so much, trying to reassure her as well as he could.

Good Lord, how lucky _his_ soulmate would be.

He didn't look away, knowing it would do no good; instead, he smiled fondly at her, hoping it would make her feel at least a little bit better. Astrid was a mess, there was no point denying that – and that was why he had to stay calm and unmoved. He had to be her voice of reason.

Hiccup saw her blue eyes glittering with tears, which she was fighting back with all her might; she wasn't crying yet, but who were they kidding – she would eventually. And he had to make sure to be there for her when she does.

He didn't have to wait long. After a few additional seconds of biting her twitching lip, Astrid broke into the most painful sob he had ever seen, throwing herself against his chest before he had a chance to react; he freed their hands and embraced her, praying to God this outburst of emotions would do his dear friend some good, that it would be the _catharsis_ she needed so desperately.

He felt her heartbeat against his own – fast, strong, to the extent it was almost improbable; then again, his was just as crazy as that. Her tears were wetting the collar of his shirt, but it made no difference. All that mattered was that Astrid craved comfort, and he was expected to give it to her.

She moved, and he felt her hot breath against his neck.

Hiccup's heart was positively breaking. But it made no difference, either.

Neither of them could tell how long they had been standing like this, two lonely people in the middle of a great, empty library. The sun was setting down, and its red beams had been getting into the room long before they noticed, but they didn't care. There was no one else in the Haddock house – and they had all time in the world for themselves.

"Feeling better?" Hiccup asked, eventually, acknowledging that his friend's sobbing had almost ceased. She nodded, face still buried in his shoulder. He smiled softly. "You need a tissue?"

She nodded again, sniffing. Hiccup took one of his hands from her back and reached to the pocket of his jeans; his other one was still embracing her, keeping her close to his chest. Not that she was going anywhere.

"Here," he said, forcing her to pull away a little, and handing her the tissue, holding it right in front of her eyes. "Do you want me to wipe your nose or you'll do that yourself?"

"I'm not _that_ overwhelmed, thank you very much," she answered in a mock offended voice, taking the item in her fingers and using it, loudly. Hiccup laughed shortly, and she almost did the same. "That was rather undignified, I'm afraid," she admitted.

"Not as much as your snuffling."

"I hate your sarcasm."

"It's not sarcasm. I'm just mean."

"Yeah, right."

He took the tissue from her hand, ignoring her protests and sliding it into his back pocket. Astrid sighed, and rested her forehead on his shoulder again.

"Can I just stay like this for a little longer?"

"No problem. How long exactly?"

"Forever?"

"I think that will do."

"Thanks, Hiccup," she mumbled. "You're the best."

"Yeah, I know."

They remained silent for a little longer – Hiccup gently rubbing her back, Astrid just leaning against him, breathing him in with every inhale she made.

"It's going to be so hard," she whispered finally.

"Nah, it's not. Just have a little faith, and you'll see it will be fine. There's a happy ending waiting for you, Ast, it will just take you some time to figure out the way to it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"This is how this world works. Besides, if your parents could have got along, then you and Eret will as well."

"And what if he's not the one?"

Hiccup froze for a moment, surprised with her question. Could she be serious?

"Hey, listen," he said, taking her arms and pulling her away slightly. "You know he is."

"I mean, he does have this mark, but -"

"Astrid, stop." He let her out of the hug and took her hand, raising it to her eye level. There was a little, black mark on her wrist, with a symbol she could never mistake. "What do you see?"

"My stupid soulmate tattoo."

"Does that look simple for you?"

"What do you mean?" she raised an eyebrow, not sure how to answer that.

"Does that look like a symbol you could confuse?"

"No."

"Is it complex?"

"Yes."

"And what was that mark you saw on Eret's chest?"

She hesitated.

"What was it, Astrid?"

"It was the same stupid symbol," she admitted at last, feeling defeated. "But mine looks like a tattoo! And he said his was a scar!"

"Well, it looks like one, to be sure. But it doesn't change anything. It's the symbol that matters."

The fire inside her eyes was gone. Hiccup hated the sight, however, at least he could believe that Astrid was starting to accept her fate, which meant he had succeeded in his mission. It ached awfully, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

"I've known Eret my entire life, Ast. He's a great guy. Smart, strong and caring – and he would never hurt you."

"I know that. It's just so… disappointing!"

"Eret, son of Eret, is disappointing? Do you even know what you're saying?" he chuckled, remembering all the girls following his older friend with dreamy eyes. "Ruffnut would rip you into pieces for even thinking so!"

"Oh, yeah, because he's _sooo_ muscular. How could you not like that? Gosh, he's not even that handsome," she retorted without hesitation, and added, "jokes aside. I'm not really disappointed in _him_. I'm disappointed in the situation. I mean, come on! That's the moment every girl is waiting for! I should be all over the moon, dancing like an idiot. Or I should be confused and amazed. Or even mad - I mean, when my mum and dad met, she came home and broke some ancient vase, almost causing my granny to have a heart attack - and I don't even feel like this. I feel… nothing."

"Maybe you just need a little more good will here," he smiled at her again. "As you said, sometimes you need to work hard before you can see the results. But I promise you it will be worth it."

She nodded; then she sniffed again, making Hiccup laugh.

"Okay, so here's another tissue for you; hopefully you won't need more than that. Besides, it's not you who should be crying here, right? Your best friend isn't leaving you all alone because of some brawny PE teacher."

She punched him on the shoulder. Hard.

"Okay, fine, I'll shut up. What do you say I'll walk you home now? And as soon as you're there, you'll call Eret and tell him you didn't mean to reject him, and that you only need some time to get used to the thought. I'm sure he'll understand."

Astrid shook her head.

"You can walk me home, but I won't call him before tomorrow. I wouldn't know what to say to him, and I don't want to screw it up. After all, that may be the guy I'll spend the rest of my life with."

* * *

 _Author's note: So, here I am, with a brand new **Hiccstrid** story, and for the first time ever, it's a **multi-chaptered one**. Crazy, right? Still, it's here, and as it's already written (and in English), you may be sure of it being updated regularly._

 _I've been familiar with the soulmate au for quite a while now, but it's the first time I wrote anything of this kind myself. It is a bit different than what we're used to, but I hope you'll see it as an advantage - either way, I'll be most grateful for sharing your opinions in the reviews section ;)_

 _I must now thank two of my friends, both amazing fanfiction writers, who helped me with the final editing of this story - **water-star** (and author of an amazing Hiccelsa story **Thaw Slowly** ), and **QueenoftheWilderwest** (basically the best Hiccstrid writer that has ever walked the earth). Guys, you're amazing. Thank you._

 _That would be all for now, I suppose. I'll see you soon!_

 _God bless,  
Margaret_


	2. Chapter 2

Late at night, Hiccup was lying in his bed, thinking, remembering, analysing. Cursing a whole lot, both in his mind and out loud. _Especially_ out loud.

" _That may be the guy I'll spend the rest of my life with."_

God, it hurt so much.

He turned onto his other side, wondering if there was a world in which things didn't work like they did in his own. A land, an isle, a city even, where the soulmates did not exist, or at least, where they were not marked in any way. A place where you found a girl, fell in love with her and cared about nothing except gaining her affection in return.

A place where the name _fate_ did not exist.

He shifted again, now lying on his back, and staring up at the ceiling above him. The night was quiet, Toothless's breath being the only thing disturbing the silence. The cat was fast asleep, completely unaware of his owner's troubles. Almost jealous, Hiccup sighed.

He shouldn't have been surprised. He should have seen that coming – no, scratch that. He _had_ seen that coming. Ever since he and Astrid had met, they knew it wasn't meant to be anything more than the greatest friendship the human kind had ever seen.

It didn't diminish his pain one bit.

Just a few hours earlier he'd been holding her in his arms, rubbing her back and praying that it would be enough to help her. He had never seen her so terrified – her, _the_ Astrid Hofferson, who was always the first to fight, and always the last to give up. She was bold and fearless, and most of the time he felt like in the time of crisis she would be one protecting him. After all, he was just a skinny boy without a leg, a nerd, a bookworm.

She was so much more than that.

But apparently, he'd been wrong. The moment of trial came, and suddenly it turned out that it was Astrid needing him, no matter how ironic it might have appeared. _He_ was the one left behind; yet, she didn't seem to notice.

Every passing second made his heartache get worse. Honestly speaking, he was not sure how he was supposed to go on after everything that had happened between the two of them, but then again, it was not like he had a choice.

Many hours had passed before Hiccup finally fell into a slumber. He dreamt of nothing, and felt nothing. He was way too tired for that.

He was roused up by a sound of water running in the bathroom; he ignored it, until he heard the noises coming from the kitchen.

He should probably check that out.

Reluctantly, he pulled the duvet away, and got up, stretching. Judging by the sun, it must have been early, but, well... he wouldn't fall asleep again anyway.

He walked slowly through the long corridor, looking around at the walls of the house too big and too expensive for his taste. He'd never understood why would they need a dwelling so large – there was only the three of them after all, and not many guests staying over. He sure was glad to have this huge library in the back of the house, and the special guest room didn't hurt either; but why want more?

The young man reached the kitchen door eventually, and peeked inside through the open door. Since he hadn't noticed Toothless by his bed that morning, he had quickly assumed that he was the one responsible for the noise, while the babble of the water probably was nothing but a dream.

As he took a look at the kitchen, he realised he had been wrong.

"Oh. Hi, Mum," he stuttered, surprised. "I didn't know you were back."

"There was a little change of plans. Hope you don't mind," Valka answered with a teasing smile, glad to see her son again. Hiccup shook his head. "Good. I was afraid of running into your girlfriend or something, but it didn't happen yet. Or is she still in bed?"

"Mum!" he cried, throwing his hands in the air in a hopeless gesture. "You know I wouldn't do that! And I don't even have a girlfriend in the first place. You know that, too."

"We've been away for a month, anything could have happened." Valka laughed cheerfully, reaching for sugar. "Oh, you know I'm just teasing."

"Yeah, I suppose," the young man muttered, rubbing his eyes with his palm. Darn it, he was sleepy, "What time is it anyway?"

"7:24."

"You always need to give me the specific hour, don't you?"

"Just a habit. You want coffee?"

"I could kill for one."

His mother nodded, and put the kettle on, expecting Hiccup to sit by the table in the meantime. However, for the whole time he hadn't moved an inch, fixing his eyes on the floor. There was some kind of frustration in his features, which Valka hated to see. Something was up, and she had to find out what.

"You look like a zombie," she threw in, not bothering to look at him, "Bad night?"

Hiccup looked up at her, alarmed, though, seeing no particular interest, he relaxed, and only shrugged in response. "Kind of."

"How long did you sleep exactly?"

"Don't know. I went to bed some time after midnight, but I have no idea when I actually fell asleep."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Well, it couldn't be too late, I didn't hear you arriving."

"We came in an hour ago."

"Oh."

Their eyes met, and Hiccup felt his his anxiety growing. He really didn't want to reveal his thoughts to anyone, even to his mother; not yet.

"Hiccup, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Hiccup."

"It doesn't matter."

" _Hiccup_."

"It's nothing I can help!"

Valka said nothing more, sitting down again, sipping her own coffee while waiting for the water to boil. When that was done, Hiccup silently approached the top on which the kettle was standing, prepared his drink, and joined her on the opposite side of the table. Neither of them said a word.

He held his mug in both hands, his grip tightening as he tried to put his thoughts in order. His mind was fully awake now, painfully reminding him of everything he wanted to forget.

There was a storm inside his heart, and he couldn't find the strength to fight it.

"Astrid found her soulmate." He stated eventually; his voice was quiet and calm, as if he was just referring some unimportant news his mother must have missed because of her long absence – he still wasn't able to look at her, though – and Valka knew better.

"When did that happen?"

"Yesterday morning. She went to the beach and the guy was there."

"And who's the lucky man?"

"That's a funny thing, actually. It's Eret."

"Eret? I know that name."

"Yeah. He was that one guy who didn't bully me at school when I was a kid. He's a good man, if there's anyone deserving of Astrid, it's probably him."

The last line popped out against his will, but he didn't care. His mother probably knew about his stupid crush anyway.

"Hiccup, that doesn't sound like ' _nothing'_ "

He sighed.

"How did she take it?"

"She totally freaked out." The boy finally took his gaze away from the steaming liquid before him, and looked sincerely in his mother's eyes. "She came here later, scared out of her wits… Mad, disappointed. I don't know, Mum. I've never seen her like this."

Valka scanned him carefully, well aware of the rage and pain hidden behind those words.

"And what did you tell her?" she asked after another moment of silence.

"That she should stop dramatising, and give the man a chance. He's the one, Mum, there's no doubt."

Her eyes widened in surprise; Hiccup's mouth said one thing, while his tired eyes expressed something completely different, and the contrast between them was just too significant to be true.

"So you're letting her go?" she asked in disbelief.

"What else can I do?" Her son answered bitterly, his voice cracking. "She's not _my_ soulmate, right?"

Valka felt her own heart breaking, and she instinctively reached across the table and covered his hand with her palm. Hiccup winced, and took his own hand back.

She tried again, "I've seen the way you look at her. Don't you dare tell me you don't care."

"So what?!" He stood up rapidly, spilling his coffee. He cursed, and yet, he couldn't care less. "So what, Mum? It doesn't matter how _I_ feel, because _she is not my soulmate_. And I can be mad about it, but there's no way for me to change it, because this is how this wretched world works."

"Hiccup, it's not like that."

"Yeah, sure," he snorted. "And what do you know? You have Dad, that whole soulmate thing works perfectly for the two of you. Not for you only, for everyone else as well. _Everyone_ but me. Three hundred thousand years of human existence, and I'm the first man who would fall for someone else's soulmate."

His words echoed in the room. He hadn't meant to scream – he just had. After months and months of battling his own feelings they finally found a way out from his shattered heart. He regretted that his own mother was a witness to it; and yet, only because he hated the thought of shouting at her like that. He needed to pour his heart, and he was glad she was the one to listen.

He should have done it long ago.

"Sorry," he mumbled, peeking at her in a slight embarrassment. "I didn't mean that."

"I think you did," the woman in front of him answered, making him feel even more guilty; however, she was smiling at him, and that gave him some hope. "And I can't blame you. Anyone in your position would act the same. I would, anyway."

"It's a good thing you didn't have to." He smiled weakly.

Valka made no answer.

"Mum?"

"You know that white stripe on your father's beard?" she asked unexpectedly, looking down at her fingers.

"Of course."

"He's always had it. Since he was able to grow a beard, that is."

"Yeah, I know that." Hiccup's expression softened as his grin widened a little. "That's his mark, right? It matches your hair."

"You mean, _this_?" The woman pointed a pale strand on her head, raising her brows and smiling somehow mischievously. " _This_ is fake, Hiccup. I've been dyeing it to stop people from gossiping, you know."

The man froze, completely taken aback. He swallowed, his glare shifting from his mother's face to her hair, then from her hair to face again. He hadn't seen _that_ coming.

"But -"

"Come here," Valka waved at him, still smiling, and brushing her long locks from her neck. He obeyed. "Stand behind me. What do you see?"

At first, he was too confused to even know where to look; but his mother had unveiled her neck for a reason, so as awkward as it was, he started eyeing it, searching for anything unusual. He found it then – two small snakes curled around each other, a red mark that could only mean one thing.

"You don't match..." he whispered, almost dizzy from the shock.

"No, Hiccup. The symbols don't. It has nothing to do with us."

The young man stepped back, amazed, waiting for his mother to turn towards him again. He couldn't force himself to say a word, but fortunately, Valka didn't expect him to speak.

"So you see, I may know a thing or two after all," she exclaimed joyfully, paying no mind to her son's astonishment. "It wasn't easy, but nothing that's worth anything is. Now go to that soulmate of yours and tell her what you really think of her husband-to-be."

"Astrid's not my soulmate..." He stuttered, and yet, his eyes were shining, and his heart was beating fast; Valka knew her success was complete.

"Isn't she? Or is that what the world is trying to tell you?"

Without much thinking, he kissed her cheek, and stormed out of the house, hardly remembering to put his shoe on as he left.

He only hoped it was not too late.

* * *

 _Author's note: As I promised, here's the next chapter of this crazy soulmate story. Yay!_

 _I really want to thank all of you, who decided to follow it - I sincerely hope that you haven't found the story disappoining so far, and that you won't find it disappointing in the future. We still have two more chapters to come, so, stay tuned! The next update may actually take place even sooner that in a week._

 _Big thanks **katurdi** , **Mellpen00** and **the Guest, who shall remain nameless** \- your comments made me smile like a fool, you really have no idea how much it means._

 _See you next time, guys! And if you have any thoughts about the chapter - please, don't forget to leave a review!_

 _Stay safe,  
Margaret_


	3. Chapter 3

The engine in Hiccup's car would not start.

" _Shit."_

He turned the key again, naively hoping it would work this time, but it did not.

"Come on, baby -" he muttered underneath his breath, trying to fight the despair that was slowly taking over him, "- work for me. Please, please, work for me."

The vehicle remained indifferent to his pleading though, and refused to cooperate, no matter how kindly its owner would ask. Hiccup growled, and banged his forehead against the wheel.

"The gods hate me."

He only stayed in this position for a few mere seconds, as he quickly gathered how pointless it was. There really was no time to waste, and he would not spend it doing nothing.

He got out of the car quickly, and locked it, wondering on how else he could reach Astrid's house now. She lived in the middle of an estate – no bus would take him close enough to make it worth the trouble. He wouldn't dare to borrow his father's car, either, and calling a taxi made even less sense.

Hiccup frowned.

Astrid lived a bit less than two miles away. Fine.

He would run.

Considering his prosthetic, it seemed to be easier said than done, but Hiccup had faith in his own experience. After all, it wasn't yesterday when he had lost his leg, and he truly believed that those eight years of practice would be just enough to allow him to complete that crazy mission of his.

In all of his life, he had never run that fast – and he certainly hadn't tried to do it in a state of such an agitation. He stumbled, slipped, and lost his balance – yet he kept pushing forward, knowing how much depended on it. He would _not_ give up.

Not in this case. Not in this life.

He sprinted through the parks and streets, crossing the roads in a hurry, paying no mind to the red lights that were supposed to stop him. He almost got hit by a car twice as a result, however, that still was too little to make him behave more carefully. Carefully meant slow, and slow meant late – and he could never forgive himself for not making it on time.

So he would reduce his pace for a moment, raise his hand in an apologetic gesture, and resume his reckless race in the very same minute.

Eventually, he got there. He was feeling dizzy for the second time this morning, only now it was caused by the extreme exhaustion he would not believe possible. But it didn't matter.

Looking at his watch, Hiccup realised it was only eight; two minutes past, as his mother would have said.

He sighed in relief. He still had a chance.

Had it been for any other person, Hiccup probably would have wondered if it wasn't a bit too early for such an unexpected visit, but knowing Astrid as well as he did, he was sure the girl had been up long before he had been – even regarding how early he'd got up that morning. He smiled, remembering all the times she had scolded him for staying in bed for too long, completely incapable of understanding that, unlike herself, some people were just physically indisposed to rising up with the sun.

She was an early bird, and refused to acknowledge that he was not.

Still smiling, he approached the main entrance of the flat, and opened it with ease. For as far as he could remember, the lock had been broken, and he would be more than surprised to find it otherwise.

All he had to do now was to reach Astrid's door, call her, and beg the fate she would agree to listen to him.

He could totally do this.

He went upstairs, jumping every two steps, impatient to finally meet her face to face, and say everything he needed to say.

He realised that in all of this rush, he hadn't even thought about the specific words he would use. How was he supposed to deliver the news exactly? What should he start with? Would she even care to listen to him, when she realised what he meant?

His phone buzzed in his pocket, however, Hiccup ignored it, too focused on his own thoughts. He really had other things to worry about right now.

It wasn't long before he finally found himself standing before her door; the bell wasn't working – _obviously –_ so he knocked, tapping his foot as he waited. His phone vibrated once more, and once more it was disregarded. Yet, minutes passed, and his knocking remained unanswered, no matter how many times he resumed the action.

When he heard the buzzing for the third time, he groaned, and finally pulled the device out.

Three messages, and all were from his mother.

 _Astrid's just come in. She was looking for you._

Hiccup transfixed, as if someone had just hit him with a hammer. Astrid was in his house? Why would she do _that_?

He looked down at the screen again.

 _She says she'll wait, you don't need to run._

How did she...?

 _I would, if I were you, though._

Later on, he couldn't even remember the way back home, even though he certainly was moving slower – he was tired beyond imagination, and knowing that his time was no longer limited, he allowed himself to reduce the pace without feeling guilty about it.

It didn't mean he avoided almost being killed by a car for the third time that day.

He crossed the threshold of his house feeling as if he was about to faint any moment; but it didn't matter. Valka eyed him carefully, and he only waved a hand at her, when he realised that he was probably looking absolutely disgusting. His shirt was sticking out from his trousers, his body was covered with sweat. He preferred not to think about his hair.

Well, there goes the romanticism.

His mother pointed towards the library, saying nothing, and Hiccup nodded with gratitude.

The library. So their story even had a frame.

He smiled weakly, trying to calm down his nerves; however, it would not do. The storm inside of him was rising again, and he wasn't sure if it was any better this time.

The man slowly opened the door, scanning the room in search of his friend. She was there – standing by the window, she had her back turned to him, her arms embracing her own torso. There was nothing extraordinary in her appearance. Dressed in her casual red, checked shirt and tight, black jeans, she looked as natural as she could, and in all honestly, had she been wearing the finest gown in the history of fashion, Hiccup wouldn't be any more amazed.

It was _his_ Astrid. He was almost grateful for it being so.

He cleared his throat, hoping to gain her attention in the possibly least intrusive way. The girl jerked her head, and turned towards him, staring at him with a foggy sight, which seemed so unlike her. She nodded in greeting; however, when he took a step in her direction, she raised her hand to stop him.

Surprised as he was, he obeyed; Astrid was no longer looking at him.

"Why did you want to see me?" she asked in a small voice, as if afraid of being answered.

"I need to talk to you about something, Ast," he responded carefully, a little confused with her behaviour. She might have been out of spirit the day before, but _this_ was something else. There was a kind of withdrawal in her features – yet, Hiccup refused to acknowledge what it could possibly mean. "It is rather… crucial, I'd say."

"And what would that be?"

"The truth."

Their eyes met, and for a few seconds, they remained like that, staring at one another, searching for answers to questions they still didn't dare to ask. Hiccup's gaze was anxious, yet firm – he knew what he felt, and was ready to take the consequences. There was fear in his soul, but there was also the bravery that allowed him to face it.

Astrid's glare was different. It wasn't steady, it wasn't firm – it went from hope to fright, from fright to sorrow, from sorrow to despair. At last, it gained the hue of its initial resignation, because now, all her faith was gone.

She broke the silence first.

"You found your soulmate," she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Hiccup gasped, astonished.

"Yes. Yes, I believe I did."

He clenched his fists, weighing his words, hoping he would manage to say the right thing; Astrid opened her mouth to respond, but he didn't let her do it. She had to let him speak first. "Please, Astrid, don't. There's something… something really important I've been hiding from you for way too long. I've been a coward, but I believed it was for the best. I was wrong. You must allow me to fix that, and I need to do it right now, because hell, I don't think I'll have the guts to say it out loud after hearing anything more from you."

He was watching her intensively, expecting her to give him the slightest sign of understanding, but she didn't. Astrid was standing completely motionless, her grip around herself even tighter now, and her sight fixed on the floor.

He had nothing to do, but continue.

* * *

 _Author's note: And the cliffhangerrrrrr! I'm absolutely awful. Yeah, I know._

 _Still, I couldn't refrain from cutting the chapter in this particular moment - I have my own reasons for it._

 _I really, really hope you enjoyed this third chapter as the two posted earlier - and at this point, I really need to thank you for all the support you've given me so far. Over a thousand views, seven reviews, forty followers - all of this in two weeks time. It may be little for some, but it means a world to me. Thank you._

 _Of course, I'll be even more grateful f you decide to comment on this one, too :)_

 _Oh, and one more thing: **Eret hasn't faked his mark.**_ _As much as I like the creativity, it's not what happened here. Eret's scar was in fact much bigger at the beginning - but then only a part of it remained, gaining a look of Astrid's mark. And it's exactly how it works (remember that Stoick hadn't had a mark until he was able to grow a beard!)._

 _I guess that would be all. I'm leaving for holidays tomorrow, so I won't be able to update THAT quickly, but I'll make sure you won't have to wait longer than two weeks._

 _God bless you!  
Margaret_


	4. Chapter 4

"Ever since we met, we've both known it was not meant to be," he said slowly, carefully weighing each of his words. "Nothing more than a friendship, that is. We could be friends, sure. We could have great time together, sure. But that was all. We compared our symbols at the first day, and there was absolutely no way they would match – yours looks like a tattoo, while mine is almost like a natural birthmark; yours is an outline, when mine is a quote. The symbol you're wearing on your wrist is purely Nordic – and the line under my collarbone is written in old French. Our marks couldn't be any more different – honestly, we would be insane to think there might me some sort of a connection between us. But I'm afraid that the last thing I am right now is sane.

"We've been friends for more than eight years now, laughing together, complaining together, standing by each other's side. I have learnt to care for you, like I never cared for anybody else; still, I knew I would never be allowed to love you differently, than as my friend, because no matter how hard I would try, I couldn't change the world we live in.

"I wasn't as tough as I thought, though, and there came a moment, when I had to admit to myself that I broke the rules, and fell for you. That it was no longer platonic, or sibling-like love – but what was worse, that it was not just some stupid crush I could ignore. My feelings had grown, and the truth is, they still are. Every second makes me more aware of how much you mean to me. I'm sorry if it makes you feel uncomfortable; but after all these years, you deserve to know the truth."

Astrid bit her lower lip, and Hiccup saw her doing it. He couldn't tell what she thought about his speech, except that he was almost sure she did not like it. He sighed. Once more, the heart he had almost managed to mend was breaking, falling apart into hundreds and hundreds of pieces, too small to be hoped to ever be brought together again.

However, he had no choice now. If he had found the courage to begin his confession, he had to find the strength to finish it.

"I would never have thought I'd be bold enough to tell you all this. It was always simple, almost painfully so: you were meant for someone else, and someone else was meant for you. I didn't know who that guy would be, except that he was the luckiest man on earth, but since it was not me, there had to be a reason for it. I couldn't imagine being happy with anyone but you – but it made no difference as long as I remembered that _you_ would not be happy with _me_.

"And that's how it had been until this morning, when I talked to my mum, and she told me some things about her and Dad. You know, for me, there's only one couple that are greater than your parents – my own. For twenty three years I was sure it was because they were lucky to be in love with their soulmate from the very start. But my parents are not soulmates, Astrid; not in the way we were taught to see it. If there's a chance we could be half as happy together as they are, we will be fools not to give it a try."

He finished, almost as surprised as the girl who stood in front of him. Ten minutes earlier he hadn't had a clue what to say, and now he was delivering some huge, smart, o _h-look-how-good-with-the-words-I-am_ speech. He hadn't intended to do it; if anything, he'd been scared he would get stuck after the first few sentences, unable to make an articulated sound.

But he meant it; and he could only hope she would understand.

It took Astrid a while to think it all over, furrowing slightly as she thought about a proper answer. She raised her sight eventually, and whispered, "How long?"

Hiccup shook his head, "It's hard to tell, really. It was so slow, so smooth, it was already done when I realised what was going on."

"When did you realise it, then?"

He made some calculations, "Eight months ago. Christmas. Your parents were abroad, and you came to spend it with us… I glanced at you and knew that I wanted every holiday to look like that. With you as a part of my family. As my family."

Astrid gritted her teeth as she listened, and Hiccup wasn't sure if it was pain or anger he saw in her eyes. He inhaled deeply, determined to make her speak.

"Astrid, I understand you may not like this. I don't expect -"

"I called Eret," she blurted out.

Hiccup froze.

 _He was too late._

Astrid saw his terrified expression, yet decided not to comment. Instead, she inhaled deeply, just like he had a few moments earlier, and finally loosening her self-embrace, she began to tell her own little story, "I told you I didn't know what to tell him, and that was true. As soon as you left, I went to bed, only to spend the night thinking of what I should say, or how to do it – it wasn't easy, but those few hours were enough to figure it out. He texted me about half past seven this morning, and I called him back. We talked for like, ten or fifteen minutes. I told him I was sorry for my behaviour yesterday, and that I'd like to make it up to him; of course he said there's no need for that. Either way, we're good now."

She smiled mildly, and brushed her blonde bangs away from her forehead. Hiccup could swear he saw her blushing. He felt a twist in his stomach, certain of where Astrid was heading, mentally kicking himself for being vain enough to think, that she could ever have _him_. He was ridiculous; his declaration was ridiculous.

Why, why had she let him say all this?

"I thanked him for his attention -" she went on, blind to the suffering that reflected all across her best friend's face "- but I said I couldn't accept it. He had offered me his heart, and was almost ready to offer me his hand as well – the problem is, I would never be able to return those feelings. Not when my heart belongs to someone else."

She didn't realise how wet her eyes were, until one of the tears escaped them, and she had to wipe it with her hand. She laughed shortly, with this kind of laugh which only appears when you cry. All of this felt surreal, but she couldn't force herself to dislike it.

Hiccup's eyes were wide with shock.

"And who would that be?" was everything he managed to stammer.

"You, idiot."

They still were standing so far away from each other, and yet, it suddenly felt like if there was no distance between them at all. The icy walls were melting, the imaginary obstacles were crumbling down, and it just felt _right._

Astrid covered her mouth with her trembling hands, however, the gaze she gave him was so fond, so enthusiastic, that Hiccup was sure his legs would give way. He was grinning like an idiot, and he was aware of that; he shook his head in disbelief.

"How long, Astrid?"

"Eight months. Christmas."

He was staring at her for a short while, before slapping his hand against his face, crying out " _Screw you, destiny!"_ and dashing towards her at the top speed. Next moment she was in his arms, openly crying into his neck, holding to him for dear life, while he was asking himself how on earth could they have wasted so much time.

"Good God, Hiccup, we were such fools."

"This world is foolish."

"This world is _mad_."

Yet she laughed anyway, tightening her grip on him, as if she was afraid he would let her go if she hadn't held him strongly enough. He leaned down, and kissed the soft skin on her neck. Astrid relaxed onto him, and finally, finally they were at peace.

It took a while before either of them was able – _or willing_ _–_ to speak; again, it was Astrid who first decided to say anything.

"It will be hard, won't it?" she asked, the last tones of anxiety playing in her voice. "I mean, we're literally risking everything."

"Nothing that's worth anything is easy -" he mumbled, smiling, brushing his lips against her cheek, "- but all we need is a little more of time. For example, you may be sure I won't propose after a month."

"Would you do that if we were soulmates? Propose after a month?"

"I would have done it on the New Year's Eve."

He tickled her, and she giggled, her sonorous voice resonating in the air.

"But you can still call Eret if you want."

"What on -"

"You know, in case you were having second thoughts."

"Okay, now I positively hate you."

"Nah. You love me."

She didn't answer immediately, pushing away only as much to look him in the eyes. He was still smiling, returning the glare – however, she couldn't miss the occasional glances he was casting at her lips. She rolled her eyes, only to see him grin ever more. She moved her hand from his neck and dipped her fingers in his hair, while her other hand found its way to his jaw.

"I do. I never thought I'd say it out loud, but I do love you, Hiccup Haddock."

"And I love you back, Astrid."

He pulled her closer, and leaned in, curious if she would move; she didn't.

"You were right about your parents, Ast -" he whispered against her mouth, letting their breaths intermingle. "They didn't get along because the universe told them to; it was their own goodwill and determination. And we have so much more than that."

He didn't have a chance to say anything else, as Astrid stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his, and to be fair, he was more than willing to respond. And they stood like that, two young people, in the middle of a large library, melting into one another in a perfect harmony.

Hiccup knew their journey to happiness wouldn't be the easiest one; but if he was to take it with Astrid Hofferson by his side, he knew it would be the greatest adventure that could have ever happened to him.

 _Because she was his soulmate._

* * *

 _Author's note: And it ends here, guys._

 _I wanted to thank you all from the support you've been giving me, following and commenting on this story. It's amazing to see someone so excited about my writing, and trust me, it's the best motivation an author can get._

 _Also, I'm sorry (or am I?) about the cliffhanger. It just felt necessary to end the chapter at that specific point, and I hope you agree with me. Then again, it's amazing to see how much you care (so much that it causes the threatening to hit me with a stick? Which I probably deserved anyway, though)._

 _I also must thank my two amazing friends, **Water-Star** and **QueenoftheWilderwest** , both fantastic writers, who have helped me with the final editing of this story._

 _Oh, and I have some **good news** , too! Even though my holiday caused you all to wait longer, it inspired me, and gave me an idea for **a new** **multi-chaptered Hiccstrid story**. I'm not sure when I'll be able to share it with you, but I hope it won't take too long. One thing you may be sure of is that it will be longer than this one._

 _So, that would be all. Thank you again, and hopefully, see you soon._

 _God bless you all,  
Margaret_


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